Trump's rhetoric toward North Korea splits Senate candidates

President Donald Trump has sent out another warning against North Korea saying that American weapons are "locked and loaded." As is customary for Trump, he tweeted this out also saying: " Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!" These comments come after threats North Korea made and after his very own defense secretary said that they were ready to counter any threat. The US is preparing for anything . According to North Korea's KCNA said military leaders were working in a written proposal of launching four intermediate-range Hwasnong-12 missiles into the sea but not too far off from Guams coast.
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The Republican candidates for Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat Friday mostly backed President Donald Trump’s increasingly bellicose threats toward North Korea while downplaying the risks of the approach.

“I just don’t think words from the president are the problem,” Sen. Luther Strange said in a phone interview Friday morning. “The problem is the North Korean dictator.”

But Democratic contenders were highly critical of Trump’s approach. Former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones said it was unwise to approach an “unstable and unpredictable” regime in this manner.

“My concern is that that the presdient’s poll numbers are slipping, (and) he’s got to be a bully,” he said. “That’s not what the leader of the free world needs to be doing. Everybody knows our power and our might.”

In public statements and tweets over the last several days, Trump has threatened military action against the nuclear-capable dictatorship. On Friday morning, the president said the military was “locked and loaded” if the country threatened action. North Korea, in turn, has threatened to test fire missiles toward Guam.

A military attack could plunge North and South Korea into war, potentially costing hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives. At least one Republican suggested a different approach by the president. Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, said Trump should consider the “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach of Theodore Roosevelt, and said he hoped the cooler approach taken by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis would prevail.

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“I think we need to tone down the rhetoric,” Pittman said in a phone interview Friday morning. “We are capable of dealing with the situation militarily. I appreciate Secretary of State Tillerson’s tone on the matter. Ultimately, the only way to deal with this is with China intervening.”

The Washington Postreported Friday that China – which has warned both sides about saber-rattling – has signaled to North Korea it would not come to its aid if the regime launched a first strike. Pittman, who said the decision for war should be in the hands of Congress, also suggested a boycott of Chinese products to try to force China to play a more active role.

“Markets are stronger than governments,” he said. “That’s why we don’t want a military solution.”

But Strange and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Madison, downplayed the possibility of military conflict. Brooks, citing the doctrine of mutually assured destruction, said North Korea had to know it would “turn into a sea of radioactive glass” if they attacked the United States. Brooks also said there was a “high, high probability . . . that the North Koreans act crazy for a rational purpose.”

“I don’t think there is any chance that this verbiage leads to war,” Brooks said. “I think the overwhelming probability is that it discourages war. It makes everyone know any kind of nuclear exchange will be a mutual exchange.”

Strange, like Brooks and other candidates, expressed concern for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea.

"I have total confidence in the president and the secretaries of State and Defense to handle the situation appropriately,” he said.

Former Chief Justice Roy Moore said in a statement that he understood the vital necessity of having a strong military.

"Appeasement is not the answer," he said. "I support President Trump for taking a hard stand against our enemies. We will not tolerate threats from North Korea."

But Jones and other Democratic candidates said the world was fully aware of the strength of the American military. Robert Kennedy Jr., a naval veteran, said the “soldiers, airmen and Marines” would be capable of handling conflict.

“We don’t need to ratchet up the rhetoric and we don’t need to ratchet up the rhetoric whenever North Korea ratchets up the rhetoric,” he said.

Michael Hansen said in a statement that Trump’s rhetoric “troubling and dangerous.”

“There are no easy answers to the North Korea problem, but blustery tweets and bellicose comments are certainly not helpful,” he said. “The president clearly needs to leave military strategy to the adults."

The primaries for U.S. Senate will take place next Tuesday.

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